Archive for the ‘Anti-Aging Treatments’ Category

It’s good news that Botox wrinkle treatment makers, Allergan Inc., have doggedly pursued the development of a new test for its Botox production line.

Up to now, each batch has been tested on live animals to comply with US Food and Drug Administration – FDA – rules. But Allergan scientists have painstakingly worked for 10 years to perfect a test on cells in a lab dish.

“Our hat is off to the company,” says Martin Stephens, vice president for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C.

In addition to being more humane, these experiments often promise better results more quickly and cheaply than the classic tests with mice or rabbits.

Natural changes to the jaw bone and other facial bones contribute to an ageing appearance, which could impede on your anti-ageing regime.

At least that’s what researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center say.

They believe that it takes more than the tightening of loose skin to take years off the face due to natural changes to facial bones – particularly the jaw angle.

We don’t believe that the bones change shape significantly enough to stop your skin rejuvenation regime in its tracks. It is no secret that the skin loses its elasticity over time and that its ability to produce collagen slows down as we get older.

However you can re-train the skin into thinking it is youthful again. By putting it through natural cosmetic, but non-invasive procedures like microdermabrasion and SkinGym, you can ‘trick’ your skin into behaving in a manner that it did 10 years ago.

The result? More radiant, vibrant, tighter skin that people will definitely notice (and compliment you on)!

Katie Price has admitted that too much Botox has made her look like Daffy Duck, which can happen after years of abusing this usually effective skin treatment.

When used properly, Botox can be an extremely effective and safe way of smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles and freshening up a tired-looking face. However some people claim to have become addicted to its youth-returning effects and Katie Price certainly falls into that bracket.

Peter Beard, skin specialist at SkinGenesis, said: “You can see that Katie’s face has unfortunately become very swollen, puffy and cartoon-like, which is something that all botox therapists should seek to avoid for their clients.

“A responsible therapist will provide advice and guidance on when the next Botox ‘shot’ is required to maintain a smooth complexion. If the client is looking too false, it may be time for both client and therapist to consider a rest period to allow the fillers to be dissolved and the face to return to normal.”

The media-coined ‘trout-pout’ is not a new occurence, the most memorable in history probably being that of Leslie Ash, whose fillers were permanent, which means they cannot be dissolved by the body.

Wrinkles fillers, muscle relaxants and injectable dermal fillers remain some of the best anti-wrinkles treatments available in the UK when used sensibly. Anti-ageing treatments have boomed in recent years, but with so many creams, lotions and potions available, it is important to find one that works for your skin, so that you get the best value for money.

SkinGenesis recognises the benefits of sun exposure and is encouraging families to get active and have fun in the warmer weather, whilst still raising awareness of the dangers from the sun’s harmful rays.

Peter Beard, skin expert at SkinGenesis, said: “We’re all bored of the same sun protection advice, which would often have you believe that all sun exposure is harmful to your health. This isn’t strictly true; in fact sunlight makes us feel good and is vital to help the body produce vitamin D, which is why we’re encouraging people to make the most of the sun, but to do so sensibly.”

The SkinGenesis girls were on hand at Mollington Village Sports Day on Saturday 17th July from 12pm – 5pm to educate participants and their families on how to take good care of their skin this summer, understand the risks and how to protect themselves naturally against harmful UVA and UVB radiation.

Attendees received a free UV Guardian wristband and personalised information on how to stay safe in the sun. They were also invited to head down to its clinic at Mollington Grange on Parkgate Road to book a free expert skin analysis.

Peter added: “Skin cancer can be deadly and is one of the most common diseases we face today. Being sensible and taking good care of the skin during the summer season can protect the skin from developing malignant melanoma.

“When you’re having fun, you often don’t realise how much sun you’ve had until it’s too late and you burn. There are various ways to protect yourself naturally, such as eating processed tomatoes and drinking coffee, in addition to the usual advice of wearing a high factor sunscreen, seeking shade at peak times and keeping hydrated to avoid sun related illness.

“Some sun protection creams do not protect against both types of radiation, so it’s important to check the labels to ensure you’re fully protected.”

• Antioxidants are essential: Intensely coloured berries and red grapes are a good source of antioxidants.

SkinGenesis has clinics in Leeds, Manchester and Chester and provides sun protection advice during all its consultations. UV imaging technology is provided during a free expert skin analysis to highlight areas of the skin that have already suffered damage from the sun’s radiation.

For more sun protection advice or general information on SkinGenesis visit http://www.skingenesis.co.uk or call the Chester clinic on 01244 853802.

The skin is the body’s largest organ, but a new exhibition in London reveals how it is often the most overlooked organ, which people seem to take for granted.

The exhibition at the Wellcome Collection, London has put the human skin under the spotlight highlighting what a crucial part of the body it is.

The human skin prevents infections, retains fluid and other parts of the anatomy, it keeps us cool by allowing us to perspire, and generally act as a barrier to protect us.

So isn’t it time we celebrated what a fantastic organ it really is and gave it some TLC?

The exhibition aims to increase visitors’ understanding of the skin and covers various topics, such as society’s obsession with eternal youth, make up, tattoos, right through to revealing why the skin is so difficult to repair and heal following traumas such as burns.

Facial skin is particularly important, as it will forever be the part of the body that people see first. Looking after and maintaining your skin’s condition is vital to achieving optimum skin health, and it just so happens that good skincare equals youthful looks.

Changing your lifestyle can be the first steps to achieving good skin health – stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol, eating healthily and exercising are all ways in which you can maintain your skin. Skin peels, using quality moisturisers and non-surgical cosmetic treatments can also re-inject some life into the skin and re-train it to produce the collagen and elasticity that is lost with age.

The first time I heard this phrase was from a reporter for Times Online, Sarah Vine (<– read her article here). Gorilla-face is a problem that affects women over 40 and is a classic case of going to bed looking ‘normal’ and waking up ‘looking like an extra from Planet of the Apes’, (Vine’s word’s not mine).

You may have lines on your forehead, chin and chest and these last until around breakfast time apparently. Usually ‘gorilla-face’ is short-lived (thank goodness!). However many women over the age of 40 have persistent lines and wrinkles and if you’re in this bracket, you have probably tried all the magic lotions and potions available on the high street, only to find that they’ve not made much of a difference.

To combat and control lines and wrinkles on the face, it may be necessary to give your skin a work out, just as you would your body down at the gym. Anti-ageing treatments that combine a range of skin rejuvenating methods will always provide great results and help your skin to produce collagen and regain some of its youthful plumpness.

Non-surgical face lifts, peptide peels, and SkinGym are all examples of gentle anti-wrinkle treatments that are available. If you’ve tried everything else, why not give these a whirl? Anything that prevents ‘gorilla-face’ is worth it in my book!

Around one third of sunbed users are addicted to their artificial tanning effects, researchers in New York have found, and SkinGenesis predicts that the number of ‘addicts’ is set to rise as people seek out the perfect tan.

Gillian MacPherson, Top Model UK Winner and SkinGenesis client

Researchers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found that those who became addicted to sunbeds were also more at risk of suffering from anxiety and over-indulging in alcohol and drugs. By tackling these underlying problems and addictions it would be possible to educate and encourage people to quit using them, cut their skin cancer risk and enjoy the natural sun safely.

As Summer draws nearer we at SkinGenesis can only foresee more and more people trying to get that tan top-up ahead of the summer holidays, however we are urging people not to use sunbeds or over-expose themselves to hardful UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Use fake tan or enjoy being an English Rose!

Gillian MacPherson, 49 and a classic model from Surrey is currently undergoing some corrective anti ageing treatments at SkinGenesis in Chester. She said: “I grew up in South Africa and in those days we really did not know the damage that the sun can do to skin so we used to stay out in the sun without any protection and as teenagers we even used to tan with cooking oil! Unfortunately that damage is showing itself now, years later. Obviously now I never go in the sun without protecting my skin with a high factor sunscreen, hat, sunglasses!”

People are generally well-educated about the harmful effects of the sun today and sun protection advice has never been more straightforward and easy to follow.

Use sun protection factor 30+ when out in the sun, and reapply regularly throughout the day

Protect the delicate skin on the face and neck by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses

Stay out of direct sunlight between the hours of 11am and 3pm, as this is when you are most at risk of burning

Do not use sunbeds. At all.

For more sun protection advice, or to take advantage of a free expert skin analysis in Leeds, Manchester or Chester, visit the skin specialists at SkinGenesis, who will analyse the sun damage already done and advise on how to restore the skin’s youthfulness through the best anti-ageing treatments.

According to the Aesthetics Surgery Centre in Florida, more and more women are opting to ditch the collagen fillers in favour of a more natural pout-plumper – the muscle in their neck.

It’s the latest procedure to take the cosmetic surgery world by storm, and this group of surgeons say they’ve so far had great results in about 25 patients who wish to look more youthful.

It’s no secret that a plumper pout can take you back a few years, because everyone knows that the lips thin with age. But a lip graft by extracting some muscle in your neck? It certainly makes us go all queasy!

There are so many anti-ageing options out there at the moment, and people are finally ‘getting it’ that surgery is not the only option.

Muscle relaxants, like Botox, and non-permanent injectable dermal fillers far outweigh surgical options and remain the best anti-wrinkle treatment. Gentle peptide peels can also work wonders on fine lines and to get smoother skin texture.

Even LuLu is with us on this one – we heard her on the radio and on saw her on the Alan Titchmarch show this week plugging her new book and spreading the word about non-surgical anti-ageing treatment options. And you have to admit, LuLu looks amazing for her age!

We’ve spotted yet another hard-hitting ‘natural beauty’ campaign from Dove, which at the end urges parents to talk to their daughters before the beauty industry does.

We are firm believers in maximising on people’s natural beauty and encourage healthy lifestyles, natural non-surgical cosmetic treatments and making people feel great in their own skin.

Of course we all have our ‘ugly days’, where we wish we were just that little bit thinner, had a few less wrinkles, but there’s a lot to be said of embracing your shape and features and just being happy!

We’re strong supporters of these Dove beauty campaigns from across the pond and although they may contain some strong messages and graphic images, perhaps that’s what is needed to show the media that not everyone will be pressured into trying to find that ‘perfect body’ – because guess what? It doesn’t exist.